WP: J.K. Rowling announces new book

24022012

Rowling's final Potter novel, 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

Okay, this is one of the most eagerly-anticipated announcements in the literary world. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is set to write her first post-Potter novel. But there’s a catch: It will be her first adult novel, and not intended for young readers like the Potter series.

I have no doubt that this book — as yet untitled — will sell like gangbusters, but Rowling is synonymous with Harry Potter. Trying something outside of her comfort zone is a bold move, but will it be any good? And will the fans accept it? Time will tell…

– dEV

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Friday, February 24, 12:23 PM

J.K. Rowling, bestselling author of the Harry Potter series, has announced she has a new adult novel coming. As Maura Judkis reported:

Harry Potter has grown up, and so have J.K. Rowling’s readers. The author of the mega best-seller announced Thursday morning that she has an agreement with Little, Brown for her first adult novel. The title, release date and details of the novel will be announced later this year.

“Although I’ve enjoyed writing it every bit as much, my next book will be very different to the Harry Potter series, which has been published so brilliantly by Bloomsbury and my other publishers around the world,” Rowling said in a statement. “The freedom to explore new territory is a gift that Harry’s success has brought me, and with that new territory it seemed a logical progression to have a new publisher. I am delighted to have a second publishing home in Little, Brown, and a publishing team that will be a great partner in this new phase of my writing life.”

The “Harry Potter” books became the fastest-selling in history, and the series has been translated into more than 70 languages. Rowling has expanded the brand into an amusement park and Web site, Pottermore. Fans who have followed Rowling since the first book, which was released in 1998, are college-age and older, and they’re ready for something a little more-grown-up, while remaining doggedly loyal to the author. Reactions on Twitter have been overwhelmingly positive.

Details surrounding the novel are still scarce, but Rowling will use a different publisher than she did for the Harry Potter series. As AP explained:

The author of the mega-selling “Harry Potter” series has an agreement with Little, Brown in the United States and Britain to release her first adult novel, the publishers announced Thursday. The title, release date and details about the book, long rumored, were not announced. A neighbor of Rowling’s in Edinburgh, author Ian Rankin, tweeted Thursday that he thinks Rowling has written a mystery novel.